The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities stated that the powerful weather system triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents across the country.
Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented rising waters climbing to the tops of houses and residences being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official stated. One resident frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed after her home gave way on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
According to meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Scientists have found that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms result in approximately US$3.5 million in damage to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
